SUFI THOUGHT OF MUHIBBULLAH ALLAHABADI Abstract Thesis SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF Boctor of $f)ilos(op})p I Jn M I I MOHD. JAVED ANS^J. t^ Under the Supervision of Prof. MUHAMMAD YASIN MAZHAR SIDDiQUi DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY ALIGARH (INDIA) 2006 Abstract The seventeenth Century of Christian era occupies a unique place in the history of Indian mystical thought. It saw the two metaphysical concepts Wahdat-al Wujud (Unity of Being) and Wahdat-al Shuhud (Unity of manifestation) in the realm of Muslim theosophy and his conflict expressed itself in the formation of many religious groups, Zawiyas and Sufi orders on mystical and theosophical themes, brochures, treatises, poems, letters and general casuistically literature. The supporters of these two schools of thought were drawn from different strata of society. Sheikh Muhibbullah of Allahabad, Miyan Mir, Dara Shikoh, and Sarmad belonged to the Wahdat-al Wujud school of thought; Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi, Khawaja Muhammad Masum and Gulam Yahya belonged to the other school. Shaikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith and Shaikh WalliuUah, both of Delhi sought to steer a middle course and strove to reconcile the conflicting opinions of the two schools. Shaikh Muhibbullah of Allahabad stands head and shoulder above all the persons who wrote in favour of Wahdat-al Wujud during this period. His coherent and systematic exposition of the intricate ideas of Wahdat- al Wujud won for him the appellation of Ibn-i-Arabi Thani (the second Ibn-i Arabi). Shaikh Muhibbullah AUahabadi was a prolific writer and a Sufi of high rapture of the 17* century. Sheikh Muhibbullah played a prominent role in developing speculative mysticism and theosophico religious thought during Shahjahan's reign (1627-57A,D.) but unfortunately literaturelists, historians and biographers have not paid much attention to this great Sufi writer. An attempt has been made in this chapter to present a brief accoimt of his life and times. Shaikh Muhibbullah was bom at Sadrpur, a village in vicinity of Khairabad in Awadh province in 996 A.H./1587 A.D. during Akbar's reign. As Allahabad became the main centre of his preaching where he passed his last twenty years of life therefore he was called AUahabadi. He belonged to a pious and learned family. His father Mubariz was a descendent of Shaikh Fariduddin Ganj-i Shakar and his mother was the daughter of Qazi Ismail of Hargam. Qazi Abul Waiz of Hargam, a tutor of Aurangzeb, was his maternal cousin. Shaikh's linage goes to Hazrat Umar, the second Caliph of Islam. Shaikh Muhibbullah was a prolific and voluminous writer. As a great scholar and Sufi, Shaikh Muhibbullah has covered almost all the aspects of Tasawwuf in his works in Arabic and Persian language. The exact number of writings of the Shaikh has been not counted finally till today. The biographical works on the Shaikh have given different number of his books. We are giving here a list of the Shaikh's works classifying them on the basis of their theme in the larger context, with brief remarks about their subject matters. Shaikh Muhibbulah is the author of the following works: Tarjamatul Quran, Sharah Fusus al-Hikam, Anfas al-Khawas, Risalah Haft Ahkam, Aqaid ul-Khawas, Taswiyah, Manazir Akhassul Khawas. Ibn-i Arabi, like other wujudi considers God to be the only existence. He exists above all times. His existence of self proved and self evident. To him no proof of existence is required for it stands Indispensable and proved. He thinks what proof can be required when we know that He exists in every thing or, in other words, all the objects are His manifestation. He is present in the essence or ayn of everything. Owing to this, no proof of His existence is required. He existed all times and shall over be. There is not even a 'there' 'where', the essence of all things is one. It means that God alone exists and there is no existence apart from His. The muhiplicity of existence is simply the modes of the Reality. God alone is the ultimate reality. He is infinite, eternal and real. Ibn-i Arabi tries to base his doctrine of wujud in Islam, but there is undoubtedly a difference between God of Islam and doctrine of Wahdat of Ibn -i Arabi. Islam proposition that there is God and God exists alone. He is eternal, infinite and real. The difference is seen in proposition of Wahdat- al Wujud that God is in every thing. To be is difference from to be in everything. The doctrine of Wahdat- al Wujud is based on the philosophical speculations of the unity of the universe with God. Like other Wujudi Ibn-i Arabi also believes in only one existence and it is the existence of God. There is something more which distinguishes him from other wujudi like "Hallaj". Before coming to this, let us make it clear that wujud is either looked upon from a philosophical point of view or a Sufi pomt of view. A Sufi arrives at wujud with the help of his experience. The philosopher infers wujud from the unity of the universe with God. Ibn-i Arabi reaches it with the help of both. Having perceived the essence of the universe, he concludes its unity with God. Unlike other wujudi Sufis, he defies the belief in the union with God. Contrary to this he holds that for a Sufi to become one with Him, has to realize himself. He has to see what exist in Him. It means that there is nothing like becoming one with Him as it shows the duality of existence. He is the only existence and is present in Him as well. What is required on the part of a Sufi is to realize his own essence (ayan) through which he manifests Himself Thus there is no question of union with Him for He is in everything. This belief makes Ibn-i Arabi distinguished from other wujudi. What he shares with others is the belief in the unity and absoluteness of God. The wujudi advocate the belief in 'tauhid- al mutlaq\ God is one and absolute. Sharah Fusus al-Hikam is the explanation and summary of Fusus al-Hikam of Shaikh Ibn-i Arabi. It was considered to be a standard work. It is as close to the original text of the Shaikh Ibn-i Arabi. Shaikh Muhibbullah does not sometimes stick to one subject in each Fas: he reiterates it in other Fusus. The threads of his arguments run into one another with connecting links. Instead of takmg a title for his heading. Shaikh Muhibbullah has taken the name of the Prophet for the same. Shaikh Muhibullah not observed chronological order in his treatment The Prophets are not taken m the order of their advent, but according to characteristics of their 'Hikma', partly based on the mentality of the people to whom they were sent, and partly on their own suluk; one Hikma leading to another. Sharah Fusus al-Hikam is only a commentary on the lives of the Prophets mentioned in the Qur'an; in fact, it is a commentary in a Sufis tic interpretation of verses of the Qur'an dealing with the lives and teachings of these Prophets. Shaikh Muhibbullah has sometimes given rationalistic basis also to his themes before giving his kashfi (illuminative) expiations for them, which latter more or less intended for people with a grounding in the subject or who have undergone a courses of suluk (spiritual practice under a Shaikh). Shaikh MuhibbuUa AUahbadi, like other thinkers, has developed his Sufi Thought on two major planes (a) Metaphysical, in which he deals with the problem of the nature of God, imiverse and man, and the position and status of man, as the only rational being in Universe, and the relationship of man with both universe and God; (b) Epistemological, in which he deals with the nature, source and the basic problem of knowledge and its validity. But we should not neglect the fact that his philosophy is basically that of a Sufi not of a philosopher even though he did his best to explain "his doctrines" in a philosophical way. His Sufi thought is deeply embedded in the Muslim philosophy, religious doctrines and cultuie. The chief source of his doctrine is the philosophy of Ibn-i Arabi. He particularly makes use of the Quranic verses and traditions and interprets them in a way that happens to suit his system of thought. He is strict follower of Wahdat-al Wujnd like Ibn-i Arabi. His metaphysics is based on his ontology in which he deals with the nature and attributes of God. Therefore, we may rightly conclude that Shaikh MuhibbuUah presents a system of thought in which God is one, the Absolute Creator, unparalleled and unique, and the entire universe is His manifestation out of His Power and Will. The relation between the creator and created is never of duality but always an Identity, Shaikh Muhibbullah's teachings and thoughts show that he is firm in faith and practice. He is very much conscious of his moral responsibility and observance of religious, laws. He thinks that Tasawwuf teaches us how to purify self, improve one's moral and build up one's iimer and outer life in order to attain perpetual bliss. SUFI THOUGHT OF MUHIBBULLAH ALLAHABADI Thesis *:•»»-> SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF Boctor of $i)tlos(op})p Mamie ^tubiesi/ \ 'T ">. ^~'- ^ I ,A^ -z- By - ' / '^ MOHD. JAVED ANSARI Under the Supervision of Prof. MUHAMMAD YASIN MAZHAR SIDDIQUI DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY ALIGARH (INDIA) 2006 T6923 Fax: 0571 -2700528 r(i^J^W\i Phones' External: 2701131 2702607 / 2700087 lUU C |tti?W/ Internal: 1365 Department of Islamic Studies Aligarh Muslim University Aiigarh - 202002 (India) CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the thesis entitled "Sufi Thought of Muhibbullah AUahabadi" is an original work done by Mohd.